Four Findings: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
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In another match where the Reds lacked rhythm having secured the title, Liverpool eventually emerged past Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield.
With a rotated side, Jurgen Klopp went with a lineup that was decidedly more attack-oriented with both Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield but Liverpool looked out of synch for the better part of an hour.
Apart from some suspect refereeing, the Reds scuffled through most of the first half and opted for safety and control rather than risk or rush. It made for an uncharacteristically boring opening 45 minutes from the home side.
The break saw Liverpool approach the second half with more urgency, but it wasn’t until Klopp made three substitutions on the hour mark that play began to pick up. The addition of Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum in midfield gave the Reds more impulse and Roberto Firmino’s ability to create space changed everything in attack.
Within 10 minutes, Liverpool looked sharper and cut through the Villans defences. The decision to keep Keita on the pitch paid off, as he found Sadio Mané for the game’s opener. At the point, Villa found the uphill climb much less motivating.
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Then, in a late cameo appearance to get Curtis Jones that much closer to earning his championship medal, the Scouser scored in the 89th minute. It was a moment of joy for Jones who benefitted from a cushioned header from Mo Salah to score his first Premier League goal.
Here are four findings from the match.
Scorning Salah
Despite two consecutive golden boots, the lack of respect from league referees towards Mo Salah is absolutely appalling.
Early in the first half, Salah dazzled nearly the entire Villa side in their penalty area before getting tied up and hauled down as the referee looked away and let play continue.
Again in the second half, the Egyptian was grabbed and pulled off balance as he attempted to pull away in the area but Paul Tierney waved off the foul.
Liverpool have been awarded a farcical five penalties this season, yet the number of fouls committed against Salah alone that go uncalled could easily close the gap between the Reds and either Manchester club this season.
Still, the Egyptian King’s nodded assist for Curtis Jones’ goal marked his 100th goal involvement in just 116 appearances, a stunning achievement in spite of some outrageous officiating.
Suspect Substitutions
With the frequency of matches, Jurgen Klopp made some rotational changes. Sadly, none of those given a starting opportunity really shined. In fact, after an hour, two of the three were hooked for the regular starters.
Despite sporting a new look, Divock Origi played with the same shaky touch that has plagued him of late. He grew into the match more in the second half when he drifted out wide left but was rightly substituted.
In midfield, the dynamism expected from a combination of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain going forward never materialized. They were not poor so much as they were simply unimpressive. Only Keita was retained until making way for a late Curtis Jones cameo.
Poor Precision
Another match filled with plenty of possession but a paucity of penetration. Liverpool managed moving the ball around the back without much trouble but proved incurable of any incision.
All over the pitch, the players lacked the precision that saw them scythe through the league, most recently against Crystal Palace. So many passes simply missing the target, poorly placed and porrly weighted.
Everything seemed off-tune and out of rhythm making which gave the relegation-threatened Villa more than enough incentive to believe maybe they could be the first side to grab a point at Anfield all season.
Sadio Saves
Sadio Mané loves playing Aston Villa, scoring his sixth goal against the Villans. In a slick sequence of play that ran against the grain of the previous 70 minutes, Naby Keita finally found Mané for the breakthrough goal.
The Senegalese star struggled to get involved early and seemed sloppy in the first half. He slid more centrally in the second half and looked more lively.
Even after Roberto Firmino entered for Origi and moved into the middle, Mané struck from a central position.
It was his 20th goal of the season in all competitions and the third consecutive time the forward has tallied at least that many for the Reds. It also marked his 50th goal at Anfield.
For all the deserved talk of Jordan Henderson as the Premier League Player of the Year, based purely on play, Mané has to be a seriouis contender.
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